Fraud in Ghana’s embassy operations has prompted the temporary closure of the country’s embassy in Washington, D.C.
On May 26, 2025, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa confirmed the development on his official social media platform, explaining that a local staff member at the embassy had been running a fraudulent scheme for at least five years.
Mr. Fred Kwarteng Accused of Diverting Embassy Services
According to Ablakwa, Mr. Fred Kwarteng, who was employed on August 11, 2017, to support the embassy’s IT infrastructure, created an unauthorized link on the embassy’s website. This link diverted visa and passport applicants to his private business, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where he charged unapproved fees.
“According to findings and his own admission, he created an unauthorized link on the embassy’s website, which diverted visa and passport applicants to his company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC) where he charged extra for multiple services on the blind side of the ministry and kept the entire proceeds in his private account,” the minister wrote.
The fees ranged from $29.75 to $60, charges that were not approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Parliament, violating the Fees and Charges Act.
Ablakwa stressed that this fraudulent activity continued for at least five years, undetected by oversight bodies.
In response to this fraud in Ghana’s diplomatic mission, Ablakwa announced several immediate actions. These include:
- Immediate dismissal of Mr. Fred Kwarteng.
- Full recall of all Foreign Affairs Ministry staff posted to the embassy.
- Dissolution of the embassy’s IT department.
- Suspension of all locally recruited staff at the Washington, D.C. mission.
The Auditor-General has also been called in to conduct a forensic examination of all embassy transactions. This investigation aims to determine the total amount of money illegally obtained through the scheme.
Embassy to Resume Operations on May 29th, 2025
Despite the fraud in Ghana’s Washington embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the mission will reopen on Thursday, May 29. Full consular services will resume, and visa and passport applicants are advised to expect improved transparency.
The Foreign Ministry acknowledged the inconvenience caused to Ghanaians abroad and other service users. However, it maintains that these radical actions were necessary to safeguard the integrity of Ghana’s foreign missions.
